Wellbeing
Dear Parents,
On Monday night, Four Corners reported on the topic, “Why too many young Australians are struggling with literacy in the digital age.”
As educators, we strive to embrace information technology to partner classroom instruction, yet the impact of social media- usually via mobile phones - is an ongoing dilemma. This includes reading comprehension- students scroll down posts, scanning for information without being ‘illuminated’ by the full meaning of the texts.
Mobile phones are reportedly being banned from Victorian State schools in 2020.
https://www.abc.net.au/4corners/
Once again, Generation Next has published a thought-provoking article by Eleanor Goldberg Fox that addresses the possible impact of screen time on brain development.
It is entitled: ‘Too much screen time hinders brain development in preschoolers’, and outlines the findings of a new study from researchers at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. It was found that preschool-aged children had lower levels of white matter in their brains the more they deviated from the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations on screen time. This is the type of brain matter that supports language, literacy and cognitive skills, and develops most rapidly in early childhood.
If you are interested in the findings and accessing the full article which includes a list of tips for children and media from the American Academy of Pediatrics, plus further information about supporting our young people under a range of categories, please refer to the link below:
Enjoy your weekend,
Faye